Vegetables · Root vegetables
Beetroot
Earthy, sweet root with deep red flesh, roasted, boiled, pickled or grated raw into salads.
Also called: beets, beet, pancar, chukandar
Photo: BriannaWalther, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
What it is
Beetroot (beets) are round roots with dark skin and vivid magenta flesh; golden and striped (chioggia) types exist. They taste sweet and earthy and stain everything they touch. They are often sold pre-cooked and vacuum-packed. The leaves are edible and similar to chard.
Beta vulgaris
How it’s used
- Simmered into borscht
- Roasted for salads with cheese and nuts
- Pickled or grated raw into salads
- Blended into dips and hummus
- Made into pachadi or thoran
Characteristics
- Taste
- Sweet and earthy.
- Appearance
- Deep red-purple flesh that bleeds colour.
- When cooked
- Stains hands and boards; colour stays brighter with a little acid. Takes a long time to cook whole.
- Sold as
- fresh, canned
- Cooking uses
- Commonly cooked, Usually eaten raw, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for baking
- Common in
- Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Scandinavian, British, South Indian, Lebanese, Australian
Storage
Refrigerated. Cut off leaves (leaving a little stem) and refrigerate roots in a bag; cook the leaves within a day or two.
Diet, allergens and safety
No major allergens in typical versions.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 43 kcal
- Protein
- 1.61 g
- Carbohydrate
- 9.56 g
- Fat
- 0.17 g
- Fibre
- 2.8 g
- Sugars
- 6.76 g
USDA FoodData Central: Beets, raw.
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Carrot — In salads and roasts; sweeter and no colour.
Related ingredients
Recipes with beetroot
Barszcz czerwony
Polish · 1 h 35 min · 104 kcal · Vegan
Beetroot hummus
International · 1 h 35 min · 160 kcal · Vegetarian
Beetroot koshimbir
Indian · 50 min · 88 kcal · Vegetarian
Beetroot, carrot and apple juice
International · 15 min · 104 kcal · Vegan
Herring under a fur coat
Russian · 5 h 15 min · 378 kcalKanji (fermented carrot drink)
Indian · 72 h 15 min · 33 kcal · Vegan
Pyttipanna
Swedish · 45 min · 485 kcalRosolje
Estonian · 2 h 15 min · 247 kcalŠaltibarščiai
Lithuanian · 55 min · 245 kcal · Contains eggSri Lankan beetroot curry
Sri Lankan · 45 min · 234 kcal · Vegan
Ukrainian borscht
Ukrainian · 2 h 40 min · 202 kcal
Vinegret
Russian · 1 h 40 min · 162 kcal · Vegan
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